Bill to Allocate USD 3 Million for Passaic River Dredging (USA)

Working to prevent the flooding that has repeatedly caused so much costly damage to communities in the Passaic River Basin, Senator Paul Sarlo had legislation that would allocate $3 million to flood control work approved by a Senate committee and he introduced a separate bill to expand the role of the Meadowlands Commission to include flood mitigation.

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, which is chaired by Senator Sarlo, on Thursday approved a bill, S-1781, which would re-appropriate $3 million from the states “dam, Lake, Stream, Flood Control, Water Resources and Wastewater treatment Project Bond Act of 2003” to dredge the lower Passaic River to help prevent and control flooding. The funds were made available due to savings and deferrals on other projects.

“Flooding has repeatedly inflicted extensive and expensive damage to communities in the Passaic River Basin,” said Senator Sarlo. “The recent storms with names including Sandy, Irene and Floyd are the latest but they won’t be the last if we don’t act to reduce the threat and protect against the terrible damage flood waters can cause.”

Senator Sarlo said the towns that would be helped include North Arlington, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, East Rutherford and Wallington, communities that have experienced serious flooding over the years from hurricanes and tropical storms.

Working to find additional ways to prevent and mitigate flooding in the region, Senator Sarlo introduced legislation on Thursday that would expand the role of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission to include flood control. The focus would be on the Hackensack River, Berry’s Creek and the cities and towns exposed to their flood waters, including Carlstadt, Wood-Ridge, Moonachie, Teterboro, Little Ferry and South Hackensack.

“The Meadowlands Commission is experienced in a wide range of responsibilities that impact land use, engineering and planning in the area, including the implementation of a master plan for the Hackensack Meadowlands District,” said Senator Sarlo. “Flooding has become an increasingly-serious problem in the district so we should make sure that the skills and resources of the commission are used to help these communities.”

The bill would require that the master plan include flood-control provisions.

Senator Sarlo said that he would continue to work with state officials and FEMA on Sandy recovery and to help protect the towns still recovering from the storm protect themselves against future storms and the flooding they trigger.

“Sandy caused just as much damage in Bergen County as it did to the Jersey Shore so I will continue to work with state and federal officials to make sure that their commitment to recovery continues to include towns in this area,” said Senator Sarlo. “This includes preventive efforts as well as recovery work.”

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Press Release, June 18, 2013